What is Lecithin?

A soybean-based emulsifier or lubricant. Actually, lecithin can be derived from a number of different animal and plant tissues, but soybean oil is one of its primary sources. Sunflower oil is also gaining popularity as a source for lecithin. Let’s take a deep dive into the science behind this ingredient.

Lecithin consists of fatty substances within tissues and can be found in all cellular organisms. Because it can easily be extracted mechanically or chemically, lecithin is readily available for a number of different uses.

What Does Soy Lecithin Do?

Lecithin is quite the versatile ingredient, and can be used either as a food additive or in food preparation as an emulsifier or lubricant.

For instance, the chocolate in a candy bar doesn’t separate because of lecithin. Nonstick cooking spray is non-sticking because of lecithin.

Foodies like lecithin because it’s a naturally occurring emulsifier that is safe to ingest. That doesn’t mean it’s immune to genetically modified organisms (GMO), because genetically modified crops will also produce lecithin. However, because lecithin is processed, the difference between being derived from an organic crop and genetically modified crop is virtually undetectable.

Still, we understand the importance of knowing where your food originates. When working with Bremer Authentic Ingredients, you’ll know from where the lecithin is derived and which specific type of lecithin works best for your applications.